A blog entirely dedicated to Blancpain timepieces
This third part of my overview on the Blancpain Leman series will concentrate on the Limited Editions and the Haute Horlogerie pieces. Creating this overview took a bit longer than I (and maybe you) expected, hopefully you will find the information provided useful nonetheless.
This Blancpain novelty left me speechless the moment I encountered it for the very first time in early May just prior to Time to Move. Now I had the chance to spend two days with the prototype Air Command and my first excitement about this exceptional timepiece has actually been deepened.
Building on the brand’s unrivaled heritage as a manufacturer of professional diving watches, Blancpain CEO Marc A. Hayek has initiated a remarkable initiative to support the preservation of the underwater world, called Blancpain Ocean Commitment. Since 2014 the Manufacture has released dedicated limited edition timepieces on a biannual basis, which shall be featured in this report.
Continue reading “The Blancpain Ocean Commitment timepieces (so far)” →
I met KISS drummer and passionate watch collector Eric Singer* in Berlin on June 4, 2019 prior to his concert at the Waldbuehne and we had an hour long conversation, so you need to have some time reading through this. We were joined by an old friend of Eric and a representative of Blancpain who brought the prototypes of the new Air Command and Barakuda for Eric to see them. I hope you enjoy the conversation.
With the new millennium Blancpain decided to give their sporty yet elegant timepieces a new name: from now on they were called Leman series. And this change came along with a remarkable makeover of the collection, offering a broad variety of 40mm timepieces.
Let me try to provide a comprehensive overview on what has been undoubtedly one of the most important watch families made by Blancpain, the Leman series. The overview is split in three parts, we start with the first collection introduced in the mid 1990s under the name 2100 and characterized by a variety of 38mm timepieces.
Now that the dust has settled and I was able to digest what I have seen during my photo session with the Blancpain novelties and encountered in the first days after the launch on May 17 with writing my reports and following worldwide online coverage, it’s time to share my personal conclusions on the Blancpain Time to Move presentation.
Let’s get closer to what may very well be the superstar among the new Blancpain timepieces, the new Air Command ref AC01-1130-63A, a 42,5mm stainless steel no date aviation chronograph based on the iconic original from 1957.
Continue reading “A legend is reborn… the new Blancpain Air Command” →
It’s my utmost pleasure to provide you with a first quick overview on the 2019 Blancpain novelties to satisfy your curiosity. Following this short post, a series of reports dedicated to the individual pieces will be released in the next days, each with real life hands-on photos and the official Blancpain press releases.
Continue reading “The 2019 Blancpain novelties at a glance” →
With the launch of the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe in 2013 alongside the 60th anniversary of the legendary dive watch, Blancpain‘s main purpose may have been to offer a more tool watch like alternative to the in all aspects luxurious reference 5015. The recent evolution of the Bathyscaphe series however has outgrown it’s dive watch history and made it almost a successor to the discontinued Leman series – let me explain why.
Launched in 1996 and discontinued in 2003, the Blancpain Trilogy series was the first attempt by the Manufacture since it’s resurrection to revitalize the strong heritage from the 1950s that was initiated by the first professional diving watch Fifty Fathoms and the very rare chronograph Air Command.
I remember vividly my excitement when I saw the first ever 40mm Blancpain Leman watch introduced in a catalogue 2004, the Flyback Split Second Ref 2086. The watch immediately resonated with me, and for a few years to come I was not even aware of this one:
Continue reading “Flashback: Leman Flyback Split Second A’Toute Vitesse from 2005” →
Yesterday the well known retailer Bucherer released a new timepiece belonging to their Blue Editions collection, which already features watches by Vacheron Constantin, IWC, Piaget, Audemars Piguet, Tudor and others. This time it is a collaboration between Bucherer and Blancpain: the Blancpain Bathyscaphe Bucherer Blue Edition.
Thanks to Bucherer Hamburg and Blancpain Germany I had the opportunity to view the watch just hours after official release and of course take a lot of photos to share with you.
Continue reading “The new Blancpain Bathyscaphe Bucherer Blue Edition” →
Alongside the 24h of Spa Franchorchamps Blancpain not only had the Basel novelties on display, but also numerous timepieces that carry a motorsport inspired design, predominantly in the L’Evolution series. Two of those I had the pleasure to take photos of, thanks to the Blancpain Boutique in Munich.
Continue reading “Two motorsports inspired L’Evolution timepieces” →
“Blancpain perpetuates its historical links with Switzerland’s oldest watchmaking tradition by making its timepieces at Le Brassus and Le Sentier, respectively a village and a hamlet in the Joux Valley. This region of the Waldensian Jura is imbued with the soul of the watchmaker’s art. Clockmaking began here in about 1740, and its workshops are still the source of 90% of the complications of Swiss mechanical watchmaking” (Blancpain website)
Earlier this month I had the opportunity to visit Blancpain in the Vallée de Joux (a first time for me) and I would like to share my impressions and of course a few photos with you. Due to the high number of photos (close to 100), the majority will be displayed as collages. I hope you’ll enjoy this report nonetheless
Having started in Paudex (Lausanne), enjoying inspiring and relaxed conversations with some representatives of Blancpain about current and past timepieces, the family like atmosphere combined with strong passion for the brand became evident immediately, and it carried on in all locations. You can sense that there is more to it than simply running a business, and apart from any romanticizing the dedication to creating a beautiful timepiece appears to be the strongest driver within the Manufacture.
The journey went on from spring like weather in Lausanne to winter in the Jura within one hour 😉
Continue reading “A visit to Blancpain in the Vallée de Joux” →